Chapter Four: The Eternal King
Jesse Lennox swore upon his father’s grave that he would not suffer another year living within the Vale, yet another year had passed and he was still toiling away at his patch of land. The Vale was a beautiful place to live, nestled deep within a valley surrounded by mountains and forests, with rivers as clear as glass. Yet the Vale was also dominated by the Emperians – more specifically, King Rogeir. Greenwardens were slaves, and no town within the Vale was safe from the King’s wrath.
Jesse’s home was called Riverwood and it sat upon a wide river that led downstream into the village lake, Luin. There was a large fishery upon the lake, ran by the Grunhall family. Riverwood was also surrounded by many trees and so a sawmill was built near the woods. Farmlands dotted the northwest, not far from the lake.
Jesse had dabbled in all trades in the past, but he found farming to be his favourite. There was something so satisfying about watching your hard accomplished work change before your eyes, even if half of your work was to be shipped off to the Zhan Empire.
He drove the hoe deep into the fertile earth and cursed the Emperians. Even the Council was tainted by the King. Rich members of society within the Vale made up the seats of the Council, which was the hand of power in their province. They made the rules and expected people to follow them. Respect was measured by money and land, which meant the poorer you were the less civil rights you had. Jesse was very poor.
Today was another tax gathering day, and so Jesse was in a particularly foul mood, cursing the Emperians this way and that while he worked. There was no peace to be had on a tax day. Emperian soldiers would come knocking on each and every door, demanding their king’s share of money for that week. Those who did not comply – or were unable to – were beaten.
Thankfully Jesse was a fine saver of money and had kept his family safe from the Emperians’ wrath for many years now. His anger flared when he thought of his wife being assaulted by one of the soldiers, or his daughter having to watch as her parents were beaten by those tyrants. No one was completely safe from them and his province had suffered great under the hands of the King.
Summer was over and fall was half spent. Autumn crops had to be harvested soon and fishers had to start making their winter traps. Fur and thick leather clothes would have to be made, along with padded boots and snowshoes. The Vale didn’t see as much snow as the Frozen Lands did even during the heart of winter, but it had its fair share of bitter winds and iced-over rivers. The cold came early in the Vale, unlike the Zhan Kingdom, whose borders were sometimes not graced with snow until far into winter.
‘Of course they get that benefit too,’ murmured Jesse, still utterly bitter. He planted the hoe deep into the ground and stepped back, exhausted. He wiped his brow with the back of his working glove and looked up to see the sun almost at the end of its journey.
Another day in the Vale.
Jesse sighed and pulled off his gloves as he walked through his tilled field towards the hill that hid his view of the town. Other farmers were still working away, but he was tired – both physically and mentally. He yearned to get away from this place, to leave and never look back. If it were not for the Emperians, it would be a fine place to live … a beautiful, peaceful place …
Yet they were there, and always would be. They watched while the farmers worked, surveying the fields, making sure no man cheated the King out of crops. Jesse figured the fishery and logging areas were no different. Emperians were usually off minding their own business on most days, but this was a tax day and every one of them had shown up to make sure the people of the Vale were doing their duties.
Jesse climbed the hill, all the while wondering if Maribeth would consider moving out of this dreadful place, and if they could at all without being caught. He guessed if the Emperian soldiers saw them trying to leave with all of their things, they would be stopped. They needed workers in the Vale. The resources were abundant and kept the King rich.
He remembered when he first met his then future wife. She came from the Frozen Lands with her mother many years ago, a pale little thing with long, fair hair, like most women in that land. Jesse too had been young, orphaned and alone. When her mother had died shortly after their arrival, the two became friends, helping each other in whichever way they could to survive the cruelness of being parentless. When they grew older, they saw one another not as friends but as something more, and Jesse offered his hand, swearing that she would never be alone again.
The memory brought a smile to his face and he sometimes wished he could go back to those times. It was easier then, when they didn’t have a home to live in and taxes to pay. They could go wherever they wanted and live however they pleased. Yet they had made the mistake of choosing to live in the beautiful valley instead of moving out, like sensible people should have done. Clearly they had not been very sensible.
Now they had a daughter, a spirited young thing with more bark than a tree. Jesse sometimes feared that she would say something horrid to the soldiers and be punished for it. Every time she went outside, Jesse kept a close watch on her and made Maribeth swear to do the same.
As he approached the wagon at the top of the hill, a familiar landmark owned by old man Sullivan, Jesse saw the first glimpse of trouble that day caused by the Emperians. Two of them were standing around a wriggling boy on the ground, kicking and spitting insults at him. Jesse recognized the young man as fisherman Tinley’s son, Toby. He had gone against his father’s wishes and starting farming, turning down the family’s fishing business. A tough decision – and a very foolish one at that.
Before Jesse could stop himself, he picked a nice-sized rock up from the ground and hurled it towards one of the Zhan soldiers. It hit him on the side of the head and he spun around, startled by the sudden attack. Jesse dove behind the wagon, hiding from view and silently cursing his stupid impulses. He peeked out through the gaps in the cart’s wheels and saw that the soldier was heading into the crop fields, searching for his attacker.
Gaining some confidence now, Jesse picked up another stone and threw it towards the other soldier, who had not stopped his beating of the boy even after his partner in crime had wandered off. It struck the other on the neck and he howled in pain, grabbing at the tender spot. A thunderous look overtook his face and he stomped away from Toby as well, muttering curses under his breath as he joined his partner to search for the villain who had thrown the rocks.
With the two of them gone, Jesse jumped up onto his feet and hurried over to the boy’s side. He was badly bruised, his arms darkened from protecting himself from their savage kicks. Jesse put one of those blackened arms over his shoulder and helped the boy up. He hobbled along as they tried to make their way out of the farming area, and Jesse wished the boy could run. It was frightening to think that the soldiers were just behind them, watching their escape and laughing, because they had nowhere to run once they were seen.
‘I will take you to my house,’ he told the boy. ‘My wife will fix up those cuts and bruises. She’s real good at that kind of stuff.’
Toby mumbled something but it was incoherent, and Jesse took it as a “thank you”.
They took the back roads, not wanting to be spotted by any of the soldiers within town. Jesse’s house was not far from the fields, as it did not sit within the greater part of town. It stood near the lake, a cosy little thing with a garden full of autumn flowers and a fenced-in yard. The fishery was on the other side of the water, so Kiri was free to play along the shore and swim in the shallow water as much as she wanted. Sometimes objects would wash up onto the shoreline, things people dropped into the many rivers leading into the lake. His daughter had a vast collection of those lost items, ranging from pendants to knife handles to buttons. He longed for the day when she would stumble upon the wallet of a king.
Pushing open the front door, Jesse eased Toby into the softly lit room. It was the entry hall, a rather rounded room with a few wooden seats for guests to sit and chat. It led off
into various other rooms: the kitchen, dining area, pantry, bedrooms, and washroom. Maribeth appeared from one of those rooms, a startled expression upon her pale face.
No doubt wondering what I’ve dragged home this time, thought Jesse. He dropped Toby into one of the guest chairs and moved to his wife’s side.
‘He was beaten by the soldiers,’ he told her.
‘Yes, I can see that,’ said Maribeth quietly, gazing at Toby from the corners of her eyes. ‘Where did you find him?’
Jesse grimaced. ‘On the road near the fields.’ He supposed he didn’t have to tell her everything. ‘Can you fix him up a little?’
The Palite woman sighed in response. ‘I can try, but his injuries look too terrible to touch. It might be best to let him heal without any aid.’ She sighed again. ‘Yet you have brought him all the way here, so I must do something for the poor boy.’
Jesse smiled. ‘That’s my girl.’ He watched her disappear into the washing room and then he turned back to Toby, whose head was leaned lazily against the wall. ‘Can you speak now?’
‘Yes,’ was his reply.
‘What were they beating you for?’ asked Jesse, sitting beside the boy.
Toby shrugged, but the movement caused him to wince. ‘I suppose for leaving my field too early, or something equally stupid.’
Jesse gulped. If he had left sooner he could have been the one on the ground, and he doubted if anyone would have shown him the same kindness. People feared the soldiers far too much to take such chances. Jesse was still unsure of why he had even done something so foolish.
Maribeth returned with some dampened cloths and a jar of green paste. She took Jesse’s place on the chair and began her treatment of cleaning the wounds on the boy’s arms, which caused his face to turn bright red.
‘I-I really don’t need any help,’ he stammered. ‘I am quite fine now.’
‘You are far from fine,’ said Maribeth, applying some of the green mash to his cuts. He flinched at the stuff and looked to Jesse for help, but the older man simply smiled. ‘You will be extremely sore for the next few days and probably unable to work. This will make your wounds less tender.’
‘T-thank you,’ murmured Toby, shying away again as she applied the cream to his face.
‘There is no need to thank me. You should thank my husband.’ Maribeth gave Jesse a small smile and then returned to her work. ‘After all, he is the one who brought you here.’
Toby nodded eagerly, his eyes wide. ‘I do thank you – both – for your kindness. I don’t know what would have happened if the soldiers did not leave. They were so intent on hurting me, to make me suffer for something I am still not sure of.’
Jesse noticed the way Maribeth’s eyes slightly narrowed when Toby told his little story, and Jesse cringed.
Oh no. She has caught on.
‘Will you be staying for lunch?’ asked Maribeth, giving a rather large smile.
‘O-oh, no thank you,’ stuttered Toby. ‘I do not wish to impose …’
‘There will be no imposing.’ Maribeth collected her things and rose out of the chair. ‘Why, you’ll be our guest!’ She turned to Jesse, the threatening smile growing larger still. ‘Will he not be our guest, dear husband? You did risk so much to get him here.’
Jesse swallowed uneasily. ‘Yes, love. He will be our guest.’
She smiled once more and headed back towards the washroom. Jesse sighed and planted himself in the seat opposite of Toby. He would be yelled at later, mostly for being foolish and stupid, but also for endangering his family. Interfering with the soldiers was not something you should be doing. If you were caught, worse things than beatings would happen. You could be sent to the Zhan Kingdom to face the King, and possibly be sentenced to death.
Or the soldiers would just execute you on the spot, burn your house, and laugh as your family mourned their losses.
Jesse shivered. He knew what he did was unwise, but he could not stand there and do nothing! To walk away from such a scene would be against his nature. To allow a poor boy to suffer out of fear would be a crime. That was what was wrong with this place. There was too much fear, too much doubt. If they wanted to overcome the soldiers, then they needed to be brave, they needed –
The front door opened and Jesse forgot his silly thoughts. Kiri skipped inside, a basket full of trinkets and flowers in her hand. She stopped when she saw Toby sitting in the chair, bruised and covered in green paste. Her wide brown eyes took him in.
‘Father, who is he?’ she asked, studying the young man. ‘And why is he covered in slime? Did he fall in the lake?’
Jesse relieved himself from the chair and lifted the girl into his arms. She was no heavier than one of his farming tools, and reached no higher than his waist. ‘A patient of your mother’s,’ he replied, fluffing her curly, light hair. Curls were not common in Palites, but they were in Greenwardens. Jesse’s own hair was dark and wavy, like many others who lived in the Vale.
‘What’s wrong with him?’ whispered Kiri, leaning closer to her father. ‘Does he have a skin sickness?’
Jesse laughed and shook his head. ‘Work injury,’ he said. ‘Your mother thinks covering him in slime will do the trick.’
‘I heard that,’ muttered Maribeth, as she returned from the washing room. She took Kiri out of Jesse’s arms and scowled at him before heading into the kitchen.
Kiri waved at Toby, who sheepishly waved back before the little girl vanished out of sight.
‘She’s brave,’ commented Toby. ‘If more of us were like her, we might stand a decent chance against the Emperians.’
Jesse started, shocked by what the boy said. He considered him carefully then. He always thought Tinley and his sons to be rather simple-minded and one-sided when it came to serious matters, yet this boy seemed to be very different. Never before had he heard a Greenwarden speak of rising against the Emperians. He was unsure if this was foolish or wise.
Toby saw the way Jesse was staring at him and his face grew red. ‘I-I don’t know what I say. Ignore me. I am simply angry about what happened.’
‘Yes, of course,’ murmured Jesse, though he knew a lie when he heard one. He did not know why this boy was pretending to be withdrawn and naïve. Clearly he showed signs that he was neither, yet he insisted on hiding behind walls for some strange reason.
They waited in silence for a while, until Kiri bounded into the room declaring lunch was ready to be eaten. They followed her into the dining area, where empty plates awaited to be filled. Jesse took his usual seat at the head of the table, next to his wife and daughter, while Toby sat at the opposite end in the guest chair. At the centre of the table were plates of bread, cheese, and potatoes, with a jug of milk to quench their thirst.
As they ate, Kiri talked about the treasures she had discovered today along the shore of the lake, but Jesse’s mind was in a far-off place and he barely heard her.
What can we really do against the Zhan Kingdom? We are farmers, fishers, and loggers … not warriors. Would we even stand a chance if we decided to take back our home? Even if we did, they would only send more soldiers. Zhan cannot afford to lose control over us.
It seemed very hopeless to think upon, and Jesse feared the Greenwardens would be slaves forever. Would it ever get better over time? Or would things only get worse?
‘Father?’
Jesse’s attention went to his daughter, who was looking up at him with keen eyes. She had something in her hand that she now presented proudly to him.
‘What is this?’ she asked.
Jesse took the thing and turned it over. It was cleaved in half but he still recognized it as a button. It was old and worn, with a faded symbol upon it that he was not quite familiar with. The Zhan emblem was a sword upon a shield, but this symbol was a sword against a sun. Half of the image was gone and little indents made him believe that tiny jewels once bordered the edges.
‘A soldier’s button,’ replied Jesse, handing the object back to his daughter. ‘A very ol
d one, which makes it a good find.’
Kiri beamed and placed the button on the table before her, studying the item a little more closely now that it was an impressive piece.
‘I would say that it is more than a good find,’ murmured Toby from across the table.
Jesse looked up from his plate. ‘What do you mean?’
The boy was looking strangely at the button in front of Kiri – almost madly.
‘That is the old emblem of the Zhan Kingdom,’ he explained. ‘It symbolizes the Eternal King.’
‘Eternal King,’ repeated Jesse, frowning. ‘Who was he?’
‘A powerful man who ruled in the early times of this world,’ said Toby quietly. ‘He was deceived by his own brother and fled the Zhan Kingdom, never to return.’ He pointed to the button on the table. ‘That is his, I am sure of it.’
Jesse’s eyes moved to the button as well. He had never heard of this “Eternal King” before. Was the boy simply telling this generation’s bedtime stories?
‘This story feels familiar to me,’ said Maribeth suddenly. ‘I believe I have heard it before.’ She picked the button up and studied it closely. ‘Eternal King … yes, I remember Lord Ferrid spoke of him when he had too much to drink.’
‘The King of the Frozen Lands?’ questioned Jesse.
‘The old king,’ said Maribeth. ‘My mother used to tell me stories of him. He would always speak the same tale whilst drunk, the story of the two brothers who fought against each other to gain control of their kingdom.’
‘The younger called forth a dark army to aid him,’ said Toby. ‘Narisa’s Army, they called it, as they moved like shadows under the pale light of the moon.’
Jesse felt a shiver crawl up his back, but he did not stop the boy from telling his story.
‘The eldest was given a sword that was forged by magick, and it burned like the sun.’ Toby pointed to the button, which now lay upon the table once more. ‘That is the sword of legend, the eternal sword of fire … Kalvartr.’
‘Magick … Kalvartr?’ Jesse had never heard those words before now. He was very proud of his range of knowledge, as Greenwardens did not get the chance to study or attend universities, but the words were strange to even him. He exchanged a look with his wife, but she also shook her head.
How did this mere boy know of such things?
‘Magick is what the ancients used,’ explained Toby. ‘They are all dead now, though. They were the ones who forged the sword for the Eternal King.’
Jesse slowly shook his head as he watched the boy tell his tale. ‘You are no simple fisherman’s son, are you?’ he asked.
Toby flushed and bent his head. He rose quickly from the table, nearly upsetting his plate, and bowed. ‘They are merely stories I heard as a child, Sir. But I must go now. It is late and my father will worry.’
‘I will take you home, then,’ said Jesse quickly, also rising.
Toby’s eyes went wide. ‘O-oh, that is very kind, but I know the way.’
‘It is dark,’ started Maribeth, ‘and there are soldiers about. Perhaps it is best if my husband accompanies you.’
The boy had mixed expressions upon his face but they all turned into a small smile. ‘Yes, of course.’
Jesse stole a glance at his wife before heading out of the dining room. She looked puzzled, as was he.
‘Wait, wait!’ Kiri slid out of her chair and hurried over to the both of them, holding the button high in her hand. She presented it to Toby, who seemed very uncomfortable by the gesture. ‘You can have it. You know an awful lot about buttons.’
‘T-thank you.’ Toby took the trinket from the smiling girl as though it were hot metal and pocketed it quickly. He looked up to Maribeth and bowed his head again. ‘Thank you for your hospitality and for the healing.’
‘It was no trouble,’ replied the Palite woman. ‘Be more careful next time, is all.’
Jesse kissed his wife on the cheek. ‘I’ll be home shortly. Keep a candle lit in the hall for me.’
‘I will,’ replied Maribeth, giving a smile. ‘Come, Kiri.’ She led the small girl back towards the dining room. ‘Help me with the dishes.’
Jesse followed Toby outside and closed the door behind him. The boy seemed even more uncomfortable now that there were only the two of them left. Probably thinking I may ask him about his stories some more. And perhaps I will.
They walked in silence around the edge of the lake. Toby’s father lived near the fishery, not at all a long distance away, but as Maribeth suggested, there were soldiers around and it wasn’t safe for one to go alone.
A reddish glow was seen in the corner of Jesse’s eye and he turned his head slightly, looking towards the many hills that eventually led out to the farmlands. The glow seemed to be coming from the other side of the hill, as he could only see a faint shine of it.
‘What is that?’ questioned Toby, now noticing the odd light as well.
Jesse gave a sigh. ‘I don’t know, but we should probably find out.’
They started towards the hill, leaving behind the lake and its neighbouring houses. Toby forgot about returning home and Jesse forgot about escorting him. Both were more curious now of this strange light and where it came from.
As they climbed the hill, Jesse heard a faint crackling sound, and his heart wavered as he recognized what caused such a noise.
‘A fire!’ he exclaimed, turning to Toby. ‘There is a fire within the farmlands!’
Both of them now dashed up the hill. They reached Sullivan’s wagon, which still stood upon the mount as it did every day for as long as Jesse could remember, and it was there that they saw what awaited below.
A blazing fire traversed the fields, eating the autumn crops that were not harvested, the short fruit trees, and the soil prepared for future harvests. All of it was destroyed, charred by the monstrous flames that rose far above the heads of the two watchers. Jesse’s face burned in the heat and he rose a hand up to protect his eyes. They stung and watered, and Toby’s face was a reflection of his, though he did not know if the boy’s eyes were wet from the heat of the flames or from grief.
‘It’s all gone …’ he whispered, looking slowly from side to side. ‘Everything … all of our crops! What will the Emperians gain from this? They take half of our produce for themselves!’
The boy was angry, as he should be, but Jesse had lived a little longer and knew the cruelty of injustice much better than him, so his anger did not flare so easily. He did however ponder what would happen to the people of Riverwood. The fields would be discovered in the morning, blackened from the fire, and someone would be blamed. Everyone would know who did it, but the Council would hold the farmers responsible and punish them accordingly. Then they would have to increase trade, cut off sending crops to the Frozen Lands, send more workers to the fishery …
A rough hand grabbed his shoulder and Jesse was shoved forward. He landed upon his hands and knees and almost slipped down the hill into the fire. Luckily, Toby caught hold of his jacket and prevented the accident. They both looked up to see three soldiers standing before them, grinning wickedly in the red-orange glow of the flames.
‘Look at what we have here,’ said one to his companions. ‘Two fire starters.’
‘We didn’t start the fire!’ exclaimed Toby. He was rewarded with a swift boot to his face for his outburst.
‘You started it,’ said another, glaring heatedly down at the two. ‘We saw. Now you will both come with us to see the King.’
Jesse swallowed hard. Why – why – did he suggest investigating the glow? Maribeth would wring his neck like a chicken if she were here. He wished he were a chicken at this moment. Then he wouldn’t have to worry about anything other than food, and his future death would be quick and painless.
Where they were headed, nothing would be painless.
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The Myth of Kalvartr: Sample Edition Page 7
